T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E.

Chapter 30

Amara

"Mom?!"

I stood in shock as Nia's mother came into view. Jasmine pushed me over, making me stand beside Nia.

"Why does everyone look so surprised?" Ms. Tiana said as she walked around the room.

I looked over and locked eyes with Minnie, the person that had walked in with Ms. Tiana.

"You too, eh?" I said, looking at her. She never said anything back to me.

"You. It was you this whole time!" Nia said as I was still trying to put everything together.

"Yeah, it was me." She said, nodding.

"Why the fuck are you even doing this?"

"Because Nia." She started off. "You were always getting in the way."

"Getting in the way?"

"Of my money." She finished, stopping in front of Nia. "You and your dad always had a better connection than me and you did. I never cared tho to begin with because I was getting the money either way." She said, laughing as she shook her head.

"Your dad was always dumb enough to stay with me. Even after everything. Until a little while ago. He started refusing to give me what I deserved and I knew that you were the cause of that." She tapped Nia's head.

"So I decided to call in a few favors, I decided to make you suffer." She said, smiling in her face. "First by calling in my son to help me."

"Son?" Nia started off. "I'm an only child. You never had another child after me."

"That's because I'm two years older than you, little sis." Cortez said, standing beside Ms. Tiana.

"I knew it. I knew you had cheated on dad. All of the signs were there." Nia said, pointing in her mom's face.

"All of those 'business trips' I use to have?" Ms. Tiana shook her head. "I was actually being with my son."

"So it was never about Amara, Malik and Jermaine. It was always about me." Nia said in a matter of fact tone.

"Bingo, girl, see I knew you were smart." Nia's mom said. "I had to get to someone that you were close to tho."

"And with Amara being the only person I consider family, you took that to advantage."

Ms. Tiana nodded. "So obviously I couldn't get that close to them myself so I had to call in my son."

"And that's why you joined the trap." I said to Cortez.

"Yes ma'am." He smirked, making me glare at him.

"And Minnie here," She pulled Minnie beside her. "She's the one that's kept you on your toes."

"Basically she's been playing us the whole time?" King said. I looked over at him to see that he had his stomach wrapped up in Vinchi's coat.

"Yep. You remember when Malik got shot? That was her." Cortez said.

"You remember when you and your brother got in that shootout?" Ms. Tiana said. "That was her."

"You remember when your car got fucked up?" Travis pointed around King. "That was her."

"So, Minnie was the one who shot me too?" Nia said, making me look at her.

"And she's the one who fucked up my house?" I said.

"Nope and nope." Ms. Tiana said. She held up Nia's phone, making me tense up. "This looks familiar, Amara?"